33. Sparring Again

33. Sparring Again

KABOOM!

A powerful explosion. As the ground shook as if it would shatter, the students exchanging swords turned their heads to look at the source of the sound.

A common spherical protective barrier in the sparring grounds. From within it, a light so bright it was unbearable to look at was erupting.

As the strange and powerful flash, which appeared both golden and white, exploded, the students stopped sparring and began to retreat, faltering.

CRUNCH!

Skadi, who was causing the destruction, stared at her opponent with fierce eyes. It was Princess Claire Lovennt, enveloped in a bizarre golden light, blocking her sword.

It wasn’t surprising that her sword was blocked. The world is vast, and there are many people, so it’s not strange at all to encounter someone stronger than oneself. Skadi believed that, in the grand scheme of the world, she herself was quite weak.

What she found strange was the sensation of that golden aura.

The golden energy emanating from Claire’s body, flickering wildly like flames.

An unknown physical force was emanating from that aura. Skadi frowned at the peculiar sensation of her blade not being able to penetrate, and the subtle feeling that made her momentarily confused about the trajectory of her own swing.

Claire was smiling. It wasn’t a smile of rivalry, but a smile born from the joy of being able to clash with that magic sword and witness its pure use with her own eyes.

“Skadi! Harder!”

“Haaah!”

Skadi and Claire clashed swords a few more times. Each time, a vibration that seemed to shake the earth and shatter the air filled the sparring grounds. The protective barrier, on the verge of overload, flickered unstably.

CLANG!

After exchanging a few more blows, Skadi swung her sword forcefully, pushing Claire away. Claire, sent flying due to the difference in size, landed lightly, dragging her feet on the ground.

Claire, catching her breath, opened her mouth.

“How was it?”

“Fun.”

Skadi smiled. It was a genuine smile, different from her usual expressionless face.

It was different from other spars she had experienced at the academy. The battle with the princess didn’t end after just a few sword strikes. She could swing her sword to her heart’s content.

However, it wasn’t similar to training with her father. The battle with the princess didn’t feel like looking at an unreachable place, like it did with her father.

It was reachable, yet not easy to achieve….

Yes, a worthy opponent.

Claire was a worthy opponent.

Except for her father, there was no one in the North who could match Skadi. Even the monsters of the snowy plains, which had seemed so threatening when she was young, no longer evoked much emotion in Skadi as she grew older. Only her father was someone Skadi could truly fight.

But her father was always above her. If she swung her sword a hundred times, her father stood a thousand times higher; if she swung her sword ten thousand times, her father looked down on her from a hundred thousand times higher.

It was an insurmountable distance.

However, the princess, Claire, was different. She was in front of her.

Not above or below, but right in front of her.

It’s fun.

Skadi felt the competitive spirit she had felt when swinging her sword as a child, but which had gradually cooled as she grew older, reignite brightly.

‘I should kiss her to thank her after the spar.’

Skadi raised her sword again.

By then, a cold wind that made one’s breath visible was swirling in the sparring grounds. The sky darkened, and a chill filled the arena. Claire’s eyes widened as she looked at the sword.

It wasn’t an action to block or dodge, but purely for observation. It was an action to capture Skadi’s impending decisive blow with her own eyes.

Skadi, with eyes that seemed to intend to end it all with this one strike, Claire felt a sense of regret.

That this beautiful swordplay was the last, and that she couldn’t bring out Skadi’s full power with her own strength.

The wolf’s tail swayed. Her ears perked up.

Finally, white filled the world.

——

“Wow….”

Claire, thrown to the ground, let out an exclamation.

The sword’s appearance was so captivating. It was incomparable to the ordinary swords she had seen so far. It was truly something she desperately wanted.

Claire closed her eyes and recalled what she had just seen.

Skadi’s figure as she wielded the sword, her beautiful blue eyes that looked straight at her….

‘Ah, no, this isn’t a sword!’

Claire shook her head and thought of the sword again.

No matter how many times she thought about it, it was an object she desperately wanted. She wished she could obtain such a magic sword.

Just then, something appeared above her as she lay on the ground. It was Skadi’s face, looking down at her.

“Claire.”

“Uh, uh huh?”

Skadi called her name and simply stared intently.

Seeing that face, a strange sensation that made it difficult to meet her eyes crept over Claire. And so, Claire couldn’t speak as confidently as usual, and replied with an awkward trailing off.

After hearing her answer, Skadi remained still.

Just as Claire was seriously wondering if she had answered strangely, Skadi lowered her face at an speed she couldn’t react to.

Smack!

“Thank you.”

she added.

From that day on, a rumor was added: that one would be sexually harassed by the Northern Grand Duchess if defeated.